Prologue
On a bright and sunny Tuesday morning a young girl woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her bedroom window. Sitting up straight and stretching, she smiled. On the clock, her mother knocked on the door and walked into her bedroom.
"Good Morning, Michelle. How are we today?"
"...good...." the little girl named Michelle yawned.
A few minutes later, she was down stairs. Her father stood at the stove, cooking her and the rest of the family their weekly Pancake breakfast. Although a wizard, he enjoyed doing things the muggle way. It annoyed her mother greatly, and caused great arguments.
"Morning, Dad!" Michelle called cheerily. He sent her a brief smile, and continued with his work. He was always like that.
Breakfast began with the usual passing of plates and food and the steaming pot of coffee. Then, once everyone was all settled and ready to eat, a conversation began starting with chores, (which Michelle frequently neglected to do). She passed her mother a sheepish grin, which her mother rolled her eyes and and chuckled.
"But my bedroom is already clean! Perfectly clean!" Michelle tried to convince her parents, but was obviously failing miserably at.
"If that means everything shoved under your bed, its not my definition of clean." Her father laughed, a rare occurrence. "There is a lot to do this morning, it would be great if you cooperate with us today."
Michelle huffed and made her way upstairs, ready to finish what was asked of her as soon as possible.
Which only lasted about a few minutes after she conveniently found her fathers wand on his bedside table. She really was an exceptional witch when she wanted to be......
Most of the day went along fine without incident, although while all three were inside, an alarm went off. Alerting them to unwelcome visitors. Curiosity got the best of them, and her mother peeked her head out the door, puling it back inside as soon as she could, calling to her family to find refuge upstairs where it was safe. She would meet them in a few minutes, she had said.
It was true. Her father pushed her gently inside a closet inside his and her mother's bedroom, and not to make a sound.
"Stay as quiet as a mouse, alright Michelle? You understand?" He asked as her mother walked into the room and closed the door tightly. "No matter what may happen." He finished, slowly closing the closet blinds.......
Michelle Lass held her hand tightly over her mouth, to stifle the screams that were begging to escape her. She sat, hidden from sight in her parents' bedroom closet, able to see out through the tiny blinds. Very little; but just enough to see the look of terror and pain plastered on their faces as they were tortured by a curse she could not remember the name of.
Laughter from her parent's assailants echoed, and would haunt the young girl for as long as the memory would remain. Flashes of red and white blinded her eyes. She hoped and prayed that the green would not follow. The one she remembered vividly from her parents teachings. The Avada Kedavra, the killing curse.
Although it did, and she screamed. It was shrill and terrifying and the murderers heard her. A flash of movement, the breaking of wood and the terrifying brown eyes meeting ecstatic sets of blue and gray....
She remembered clearly the feeling of pins and needles stabbing her tiny body. The pain being so unbearable she wished it would stop no matter what it took. Yet, in ended as soon as it had started. The silver masked wizards...or witches, Michelle wasn't sure, asked her the simplest question in the world:
"What is your name, my child?"
She opened her mouth to answer, her soft voice to whisper her name Michelle....and no answer came. Just the movement of her mouth and a very confused eight year old girl....left in the wake of more laughter.
And the remains of her parents last expression still etched on their faces.